Method and apparatus for joining woven wire fabric



y 1933- J. R. BUCHANAN ET AL 1 ,908,402 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR JOININGWOVEN WIRE FABRIC Filed April 25, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 MIII May 9,1933.

METHOD J. R. BUCHANAN ET AL 1,908,402 AND APPARATUS FOR JOINING WOVENWIRE FABRIC Filed April 25, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bushman 77701175 M y1933- J. R. BUCHANAN ET AL 1,908,402

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR JOINING WOVEN WIRE FABRIC Filed April 25, 19313 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May Q, 133

UNHTE stars PEN? @FEQGE JOHN R. BUCHANAN AND THOMAS M. CRAY, OF OTTAWA,ONTARIO, CANADA METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR Application filed April 25,

This invention relates to a new and useful method and apparatus forjoining woven wire fabric, known as paper machine wire or any other wirefabric of a light nature.

} It has been customary to join woven wire fabric by stitching the freeends of the fabric together throughout their width, which practice hasmany disadvantages, Foremost among these disadvantages are the length oftime required to join the edges of the fabric and the cost of the upkeepof the fabric when used on paper machines and the like due to the factthat a stitched oint causes the accumulation of foreign material thereinwhich necessitates that the machines be stopped to clean the jointthoroughly. Furthermore, seams oined with wire being of a necessarilydifferent construction from the fabric so joined, are apt to wear outsooner than the body of the fabric, making the entire belt of fabricuseless for further service. It is, therefore, an object of the presentinvention to avoid such disadvantages by forming according to animproved method a joint which obviates stitching or, in other words, isan unstitched joint of durable construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified method ofjoining the fabric which may be readily followed to produce a' durableand unstitched joint in a minimum of time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for forming adurable, butted and welded joint.

A further object is to provide an improved method and apparatus forbringing the opposed edges of woven wire fabric into accurate abutmentand maintaining such accurate abutment while the joint therebetween isactually formed whereby, not only is the operation of forming. the jointgreatly facilitated and expedited, but a much more perfect joint isobtainable than hitherto and one which is substantially flush with thefaces of the fabric and in which the mesh format on JOINING WOVEN "WIREFABRIC 1931. Serial No. 532,803.

is not interrupted or interfered with at the joint but is substantiallyregular, uniform and continuous across the joint.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatussuitable for use in the improved method which is of simple character,the parts of which will readily cooperate to accurately hold and movethe free edges of the fabric in position to facilitate the oiningthereof.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel method and apparatus hereinafter described in detail.

According to the method, the free edges of the wire fabric arepositioned adjacent each other and firmly retained in such position. Thejoining of the edges of the wire fabric is necessarily effectedprogressively across the width of the fabric and in carrying out themethod the free edges of the fabric not 'immedia-tely to be subjected tothe joining operation are spaced apart. Along a section of the freeedges of the fabric to be, immediately joined the fabric is firmlygripped and the adjacent edges of this section brought into abutmentandunited by Welding, brazing or soldering upon application of. heat tothe butted oint. This operation is repeated progressivelyacross theentire width of the fabric until the free edges thereof have beencompletely united.

In order to more fully illustrate the method and explain the apparatuswhich may be used in conjunction therewith, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one form .of apparatus which may beemployed in the joining of the fabric.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

ratus illustrating the relative positions of I Figure 9 is a fragmentarydetailpartly in section of the operating mechanism illustrated in Figure8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A indicates the apparatusas a whole, including the base 10 of any suitable form provided with anupper plane surface 11. The base is preferably slotted in the middle asat 12 to communicate with a central longitudinal extending chamber 13formed in the base, which will be more fully referred i On one end ofthe base is" rigldly mounted a supporting structure B to hereinafter.

which may be cast or machined inone piece and is formed with the baseplate 14 which is adapted to connect with the base 10. The base plate 14is preferably counter-sunk in the base 10, as clearly indicatedin Figure5.

The supporting structure B includes a Web or rib 15, more fully referredto hereinafter, which connects the base plate 14 with the upper portionof the supporting structure B, which includes the web 16 spacing apartthe upper and lower plates 17 and 18 which form therebetween thechannels 19 and 20. Slidably mounted within the channels 19 and 20 andtherefore between the plates 17 and 18 are laterally movable arms 21 and22 which are adapted to extend longitudinally substantially the lengthof the base 11 and are movable laterally in the channels 19 and 20 bymeans of any suitable mechanism.

One form of this mechanism is illustrated in Figure 1, which consists inthe bifurcated lugs 23 and 24 rigidly connected to each of the arms 21and 22, to which are pivotally connected the toggle links 25 in turnpivotally connected at their opposite ends to a cross-yoke .26 which iscarried by the movable screw-threaded shaft 27 adapted to extend intothe top plate 17 of the supporting structure B, the screw-threaded shaftbeing controlled by the knurled operating member 28. Thus, when theknurled operating member 28 is rotated in one direction, thescrew-threaded shaft will move upwardly in the plate 17 and consequentlydraw inwardly upon the bifurcated lugs 23, necessaril drawing the arms21 and 22 inwardly, the mward movement being permitted by reason of thespaces 29 which exist between the web 16 and the inner side of the arms21 and 22 when the arms are in their normal position. In order toprovide for parallel movement of these arms in the top of the plate 17,rigidly secured guide members 30 are mounted preferably by means ofchannels cut in the plate 17 and these guiding members are formed withextensions on each side 31 designed to enter into grooves 32 in the arms21 and 22 which are cut at right angles to their longitudinal axis sothat, when these arms move inwardly or outwardly, by reason of theguides described, they must necessarily move in parallel relation.

On the forward ends of the arms 21 and 22 are secured movable clampingmembers 33 and 34:, these clamping members being preferably machined asat 35 so as to provide an edge 36 approximating a knife edge adjacentthe plane surface 11 of the base 10. These clamping members are designedto move vertically with respect to the arms 21 and 22 and also withrespect to the base 10. To accomplish this, screw-threaded shafts 37 and38 extend through the arms 21 and 22 respectively to enter into theclamping members 33 and 34, these screw-threaded shafts being mounted inthe arms 21 and 22, as clearly indicated in Figure 3, to readily turn inthe arms, the screw threading on the shafts being designed to-engagewith'corresponding screw-threading in the clamping members 33 and 34. Innormal position they are held tightly against the arms 21 and 22 so thata space 39 exists between the plane surface 11 of the base 10 and thebottom of the clamping members 33 and 34, see Figures 3 and 5. Thisspace is sufiicient to permit of the insertion of wire fabric or thelike between the base 10 and the clamping members .33 and 34 and allowsof relative movement of the clamping members between the arms 21 and 22and the base 10. Thus, when the operating members 40 and 41 of theshafts 37 and 38 are turned in one direction or the other, the clampingmembers 33 and 34will either move upwardly or downwardly, according tothe direction of movement of said operating members so that theseclamping members may be made to firmly engage with the base or to gripmaterial inserted between the clamping members and the base, or theclamping members may be moved upwardly from the base to release materialgripped between these members and the base. In order to maintain in allpositions a proper alignment between these clamping members and thearms'2l and 22, suitable guide members 42 are rigidly carried on thearms 21.

and 22 and adapted to extend into guideways 43 in the clamping members."These guide members 42 in the form shown are substanthe inner edges 36of the clamping members 33 and 34 are adapted to lie normally adjacentthe slot 12 in the base 10, the clamping members being in parallelrelation therewith. The clamping members are, of course, designed togrip the wire fabric adjacent the free edges thereof between the surface11 of the base 10 and said members and, consequently, when the fabric isproperly inserted between these clamping members and the base andgripped in that position, the edges of this fabric will liesubstantially parallel with the slot 12 in the base, the edges being, ofcourse, separated towards one end of the base 10 by means of the web 15.

On actuation of the operating member 28 of threaded shaft 27 in onedirection, as previously explained, the arms 21 and 22 may be urgedtowards each other and, consequently, the fabric gripped by the clampingmembers 33 and 34 will be thereby urged towards each other so that theywill abut over the slot 12. When they are brought into this abuttingrelation they are firmly joined by welding, brazing or soldering throughthe application of heat thereto and, in order to permit of a clearworking space for this step, the arms 21 and 22 are recessed or cut awayat 44 so that the major longitudinally extending area thereof is ofreduced width in comparison with the inner ends of these members whichare adapted to slide within the slots 19 and 20 in a supportingstructure B.

The chamber 13 formed in the middle of the base below the slot 12 isdesigned to permit the heat to penetrate the butted joint effectedbetween the free edges of the wire, and the heat will escape bytravelling along the chamber and discharging through any of the openingsavailable.

According to one form of the apparatus, the clamping members through themedium of the arms 21 and 22 may be moved simultaneously towards oneanother or, if desired, one arm and, consequently, one clamping membermay be held stationary and the other arm and clamping member caused tobe movable transversely of the block, as above referred to, so that inthis case the arms will move relatively to one another and the edges ofthe wire fabric gripped by the clamping members will be caused to moverelatively to one another. In other words, through the movable arm andits attached clamping member, one edge of the gripped wire fabric may bemoved to abut the other edge to which it is to be joined, While saidother edge is held stationary. In effecting this step a structure of thecharacter illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 may be employed, which includesthe arms 21 and 22, as above described, but the arm 22 is held rigidlyin the supporting structure B in any suitable Way, as for instance bypins 22a, while the arm 21 is capable of transverse movement. Ineffecting this movement that this. arm move in parallel relation with"respect to slot 12 in the base and, to provide for this type ofmovement, guides 49 are rigidly secured to the arm 21 and adapted tomove in the guideways 50 in the web 16. This structure may be of anydesirable nature and is shown in the form of dowel pins andcorresponding holes within which the pins are designed to slide. It isreadily apparent, therefore, that the one arm 21 may be caused to movetransversely of the base towards and away from the opposite arm 22 whichis held stationary. This mode of operation can also be followed in thestructure illustrated in Figure 1 if desired and, to this end, it isonly necessary to hold one of the arms stationary by inserting pins orretaining members through the supporting structure, such as at 51, thussecurely holding one arm against movement and, upon disconnecting thecorresponding toggle link 25 which was designed to operate the arm, theaction just described will take place, viz. the arms will moverelatively to one another.

In following out the method with the apparatus described, the free endsof the wire fabric, as indicated in Figure 3, are inserted through thespace 39 between the upper surface 11 of the base and the bottom of theclamping members 33 and 3t and are moved to a position adjacent the slot12. Through the actuation of the operating members 40 and 41 of theshafts 37 and 38, the clamping members 33 and 34 are caused to grip thefabric firmly in that position so that that section of the fabricunderlying the clamping members is firmly held whereas the re-= mainingportion of the fabric is loosely held, the web 15 which overlies or isin registration with the slot 12 serving as a spacing element tomaintain the edges of this loosely held portion spaced apart, as clearlyindicated in Figure 7. Upon turning the operating member 28 of shaft 27in one direction the arms 21 and 22 will be caused to move towards eachother or one arm may becaused to move towards the other which is heldstationary and the free edges of the fabric in the area of the clampingmembers which firmly grip the fabric will be brought together over theslot 12 to directly abut along the length of the clamping members, theweb 15, as previously referred to, spacing the major length of theremaining portion of the fabric, as indicated in Figure 7, so that thisweb will prevent overlapping and buckling of the free edges of thefabric not retained by the clamps and thus will provide for an accurateand eflicient abutment of the free edges. The free edges which have beenbrought into abutment over the slot 12 are then united by welding,brazing or soldering upon the application of heat, and a very firm,durable and fine joint is made. This operation is repeated progressivelyalong the length of the free edges until they are completely joined.

As illustrated in igure 7, it will be seen that the supporting structureand, consequently, the web 15 is spaced longitudinally from the clampingmembers a substantial distance so that, when the free edges of thefabric are spaced apart by the web, the spacing after the free edgeshave been brought into abutment is of very gradually increasing widthwhich will permit abutment of the free edges in an accurate manner withvery slight distortion of the fabric.

it is, therefore, apparent that the general method as followed accordingto the present invention consists in directly positioning the free edgesof the fabric in substantially parallel spaced apart relation adjacentone another, firmly gripping said fabricto retain it in said position,drawing the opposed edges into abutment and uniting the said abuttingedges to form a joint therealong.

lhe method also includes the spacing of ungripped portions of thefabric, as previously referred to, obviatin any buckling or overlappingof the free e ges and eliminating inaccuracy in the joining operation,and repeating the general method progressively throughout the length ofthe ed es to be joined until they are united throug out their completelength in a fine, durable seam. The 'oinin of the edges after'they havebeen roug t into abutment is effected bywelding, brazing or solderingthrough the application of heat.

By reasonof' the su porting structure B which always retains tile arms21 and 22 in a definite-position, it will be realized. that after thefabric has been ositioned and retained in the apparatus 1n its initialosition, the movement of the free ed es of the fabric to abut will beaccomplis ed with precision so that a erfect seam will be produced dueto .the act that the joint is accurately butted. Furthermore, it isnotable that the clamping members grip the fabric at a position adjacentthe free ed es so that the free edges are held fairly ri i and,consequently, when they are broug t into abutment, the edges willexactly meet.

The method, of course, might be readily followed through other forms ofapparatus.

Various modifications may be made in the invention without departingfrom the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims and, therefore, theexact forms shown are to be taken Leoaeoa as illustrative only and notin a limiting sense, and we desire that only such limitations shall beplaced thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically setforth in the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is l. A. method of joining woven wirefabric which consists in placing the free edges of said fabric tobe-joined adj acent one another in spaced apart relation, retaining thefabric in said position and progressively bringing sections of saidedges of said fabric into abutment, and joining said abutted edges bythe application of heat.

2. A method of joining the edges of woven wire fabric which consists insecurely clamping sections of said edges in abutment While positivelyretaining the remaining portions of said edges in spaced-apart relation,uniting the abutting sections to form a joint therealong, and repeatingthe said operation progressively across the entire width of the edges tobe joined.

3. A method of joining woven wire fabric which consists in placing theedges to be joined in spaced-apart relation, gripping opposing portionsof said fabric, drawing the edges of said gripped portions intoabutment, while retaining the remainder of the opposed edges spacedapart, uniting the abutting edges to form a joint therealong, andrepeating said operations progressively across the entire width to bejoined.

4. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of wire fabric comprising abase formed with a longitudinal slot therein, opposed spacedapart fabricclamping elements co-active with and overlying the base at either sideof the slot, and a spacing element overlying the slot in the base andspaced longitudinally from the clamping elements.

5. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of wire fabric comprising abase formed with a longitudinal slot therein, opposed spaced-apartfabric clamping elements coactive with and overlying the base at eitside of the slot, means for moving said clamping elements towards andaway from the base, means for moving at least one of said clampingmembers transversely of the base towards and away from the other, and afabric spacing element carried on the base and spaced longitudinallyfrom the clamping elements.

(3. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of wire fabric comprising abase formed with a longitudinal slot therein, opposed spaced-apartfabric clamping elements coactive with and overlying the base at eitherside of the slot, means for moving said clamping elements towards andaway from the base, means for moving at least one of said clampingmembers transversely of the base towards and away from the other, and aspacing element carried on the base overineaaoa lying the slot andspaced therein longitudinally from the clamping elements.

7 Apparatus for use in joining the edges of Wire fabric comprising abase formed with a longitudinal slot therein, opposed spacedapart fabricclamping elements co-active with and overlying the base at either sideof said slot, said clamping elements being shorter than the base, meansfor moving said clamping elements towards and away from the base, meansfor moving at least one of said clamping elements transversely of thebase towards and away from the other, and a spacing element overlyingthe slot in the base and spaced longitudinally from the clampingelements.

8. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of wire fabric comprising abase, opposed parallel spaced-apart fabric-clamping elements co-actingwith and overlying the base, and a spacing element carried by the baseand spaced longitudinally from the clamping elements.

9. Apparatus for use in joining woven wire fabric comprising a base, apair of rigidly held movable arms carried by the base in spaced apartrelation, clamping members carried by said arms and coactive with saidbase, means for vertically adjusting said clamping members with respectto the base, and means for moving at least one of said arms transverselyof the base.

10. Apparatus for use in joining woven wire fabric comprising a baseformed with a longitudinal slot therein, a supporting structure mountedon said base, a pair of longitudinally extending arms carried by saidsupporting structure and adapted to overlie the base on each side ofsaid slot in parallel relation, clamping members carried by said armsand coactive with said-base, means for vertically adjusting saidclamping members towards and away from said base to engage or disengagewith material placed upon the base, and means for transversely moving atleast one of said arms towards and away from the other.

11. A method of joining the opposed edges of woven wire fabric to form aflush joint therebetween, which consists in placing said opposed edgesadjacent one another in spaced apart relation, progressively bringinglimited sections of said opposed edges into accurate abutment anduniting the thus abutted edges by the application of heat.

12. A method or" joining the opposed edges of woven wire fabric to forma flush joint therebetween, which consists in' securely clamping opposedlimited sections of said edges in abutment while positively retainingthe remaining opposed portions of said edges in spaced apart relation,uniting the abutted sections by the application of heat, and repeatingsaid operations progressively progressively across the entire width ofthe edges to be joined.

14. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising, a base formed with a lingitudinal slot therein, opposedspaced apart fabric clamping elements co-active with and overlying thebase at either side of said slot and disposed parallel thereto, saidclamping elements being shorter than the base, means for moving saidclamping elements into and out of clamping engagement with the base,means for moving at least one of said clamping elements transversely ofthe base towards and away from the other clamping element while ingripping engagement with the base, and a fabric spacing elementoverlying the slot in the base and spaced longitudinally from theclamping elements.

15. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising means for positioning said edges in opposed substantiallyparallel spaced apart relation, means for gripping said fabric adjacentto and along opposed limited sections of said edges, means for movingthe edges of said gripped limited sections into abutment, and means forpositively maintaining the edges of the remaining ungripped portions ofthe opposed edges in spaced apart relation.

16. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising means for positioning said edges in opposed substantiallyparallel spaced apart relation, means for gripping said fabric adjacentto and along opposed limited sections of said edges,

and out of clamping engagement therewith, and means for moving at leastone of said arms in parallelism with and towards and away from the otherarm.

18. Apparatus for use in oining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising, a base, a pair of spaced apart parallel arms supported inspaced relation above and overlying the base, a clamping member carriedby each of said arms and positioned between its arm and the base, meansfor moving said clamping members perpendicularly to the base into andout of clamping engagement therewith, and means for moving at least oneof said arms in parallelism with and towards and away from the other armwhile in clamping engagement with the base.

19. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising, a base formed with a longitudinal slot therein, a pair ofspaced apart longitudinally extending parallel arms supported in spacedrelation above and overlying the base, a clamping member carried by eachof said arms and positioned between its arm and the base, said clampingmembers disposed opposite to each other at either side of said slot andparallel therewith, said clamping members being shorter than the base,means for moving said clamping members perpendicularly to the base intoand out of clamping engagement therewith, means for moving at least oneof said arms transversely of the base in parallelism with and towardsand away from the other arm while in clamping engagement with the base,and a spacing element in registration with the slot in the base andspaced longitudinally from the clamping members.

20. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising, a base formed with a longitudinal slot therein, a pair ofspaced apart longitudinally extending parallel arms supported in spacedrelation above and overlying the base, a clamping member carried by eachof said arms and positioned between its arm and the base, said clampingmembers disposed opposite to each other at either side of said slot andparallel therewith, said clamping members being shorter. than the base,means for moving said clamping members perpendicularly to the base intoand out of clamping engagement therewith, means co-acting between theclamping members and arms for positively maintaining parallel alignmenttherebetween, means for moving at least one of said arms transversely ofthe base in parallelism with and towards and away from the other armwhile in clamping engagement with the base, and a spacing element inregistration with the slot in the base and spaced longitudinally fromthe clamping members.

21. Apparatus for use in joining woven wire fabric comprising a baseformed with reoaeoe a longitudinal slot therein, a supporting structuremounted on said base, a pair of longitudinally extending arms carried bysaid supporting structure and adapted to overlie the base on each sideof said slot in parallel relation, clamping members carried by said armsand co-active with said base, means for vertically adjusting saidclamping members towards and away from said base to engage or disengagewith material placed upon the base, and means for transversely movingatleast one of said arms towards and away fromthe other while in clampingengagement with the base, and a spacing element carried by thesupporting structure and in registration with the slot in the base, saidspacing element spaced longitudinally from the clamping members.

22. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising, a base formed with a longitudinal slot therein, a supportingstructure mounted upon the base adjacent to one end thereof, a pair ofspaced apart parallel arms carried by said suppofiing structure, saidarms longitudinally over-' lying the base, in spaced parallel relationthereabove and disposed on either side of and parallel to said slot,said arms extending substantially to the end of the base remote from thesupporting structure, a clamping member carried by each of said arms atthe end thereof remote from the supporting structure and positionedbetween its arm and the upper face of the base, said clamping membersdisposed opposite to each other at either side of said slot, saidclamping members being spaced longitudinally from the supportingstructure, means for moving said clamping members perpendicularly to thebase into and out of clamping engagement therewith, means for moving atleast one of said arms transversely of the base inparallelism with andtowards and away from the other arm while in clamping engagement withthe base, and a spacing element carried by the supporting structure andin registration with the slot in the base.

23. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising a base and movable fabric clamping members connected to saidbase solely through a member extending between the edges of the fabricto be joined.

24. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising a base and movable fabric clamping members connected to saidbase solely through a member situated substantially centrally of thewidth of said base.

25. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of woven wire fabriccomprising a base and movable fabric clamping members connected to saidbase solely through a web extending longitudinally of the base andsituated substantially centrally of the width thereof.

26. Apparatus for use in joining the edges of Woven wire fabric,comprising a base and a support for movable fabric clamping members,said support being connected to said base solely through a memberextending between the edges of the fabric to be joined. 27. Apparatusfor use in joining the edges of woven wire fabric, comprising a base anda support for movable fabric clamping members, said support beingconnected to said I base solely through a narrow web extendinglongitudinally of the base and between the edges of the fabric to bejoined.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

JOHN R. BUCHANAN. THOMAS M. CRAY.

